I think VESL is still the term used in California to denote Workplace
ESL (see, for instance,
https://www.casas.org/home/index.cfm?fuseaction=pp.welcome&VisitDescID=1
59, http://www.ccsf.edu/Resources/Teacher_Resource_Center/vesl.html and
http://www.miracosta.cc.ca.us/Instruction/communityEducation/ESL/vesl.ht
m), and the University of Illinois at Chicago also uses the term in its
Bridge Training Programs (see
http://www.uic.edu/cuppa/techbridge/PDF/Framework_Dev.PDF and
http://www.uic.edu/cuppa/techbridge/PDF/VESLGuide_040100.PDF).   

 

Donna

 

Donna Brian

Moderator, LINCS Workplace Literacy Discussion List

Off-list contact djgbrian at utk.edu

 

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________________________________

From: workplace-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:workplace-bounces at nifl.gov] On
Behalf Of Janet Isserlis
Sent: Thursday, July 24, 2008 1:43 PM
To: The Workplace Literacy Discussion List
Subject: [Workplace 1542] Re: VESL

 

VESL is an old, old term that many of us used in the late 80's/90's, to
talk about Vocational ESL - up to and including language/culture
connected to employment for those not yet in the workplace.  A cottage
industry, of sorts, had sprung up to develop and publish materials -
partially in response to the influx of refugees from Southeast Asia.

Some of the work that came out of this, like Thomas Jupp's Industrial
English, and a lot of the work that Heide Wrigley was (and is) doing has
been great.

Other pieces have fallen by the wayside, as things will do.

Janet Isserlis



________________________________

From: Barbara Tondre <btondre at earthlink.net>
Reply-To: The Workplace Literacy Discussion List <workplace at nifl.gov>
Date: Thu, 24 Jul 2008 10:28:52 -0500
To: <agallup at essentiallanguage.com>, 'The Workplace Literacy Discussion
List' <workplace at nifl.gov>
Subject: [Workplace 1536]  VESL

Amber's use of the term VESL caught my attention.  Business and industry
is beginning to use this term but I'm not sure what they mean by it.  Do
we dare include defining this term in our discussion?
 
Barbara Tondre 
 

________________________________

From: workplace-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:workplace-bounces at nifl.gov]
<mailto:workplace-bounces at nifl.gov%5d>  On Behalf Of Amber Gallup
Sent: Wednesday, July 23, 2008 3:05 PM
To: The Workplace Literacy Discussion List
Subject: [Workplace 1531] Managing expectations


       In response to Pat Sawyer's last message -
 
 Several posters have alluded to the challenge of managing the client's
expectations.  It's common to hear questions like that which Pat
mentioned, "How many weeks is this going to take?"  I have found that it
will take much more than one conversation before my clients really begin
to understand  what I'm saying regarding the process and time commitment
of language learning and the goals of the course (which we develop
together as much as possible through the needs analysis process.)  
 
 I have found that the needs analysis itself is useful not only to
identify students' and workplace needs, but also to bring out into the
light of day the stakeholders' expectations....which are often
unrealistic and/or conflicting with other stakeholders' expectations.
The needs analysis process provides an opportunity to do the very
important work of getting all stakeholders on the same page...it's a
little teachable moment.  If important stakeholders have different ideas
of why we're doing this (say, union and management) and  how it will
impact them....that can deal a death blow to a program!  
 
 I always use an example from a electricans' union for which I once put
together a VESL program when I first began this work:  In the needs
analysis, I did my language task analysis and I interviewed some
workers, the union leaders, the apprentice coordinator, the organizer,
and the contractor (the "big boss").  I felt good that this part of the
needs analysis had been thorough and everybody shared an understanding
of our goals.  Yet, by the end of the semester, the otherwise very
successful class was almost done away with!....why?  Because the
workers' foremen (who were not getting jobs finished on time because
they lost some of their crew for a few hours each week) were angry and
refusing to let their workers leave for the class.  I had neglected to
make them part of the process, and their differing expectations and
needs led to revolt.  We modified the course schedule and luckily
continued on, but I learned some lessons about needs analysis.
 
 Also, I liked Miriam's description of how she did her observations
(language task analysis) BEFORE she interviewed the various
stakeholders.  I'll be using that tip...it's a great idea - because it
gives us more information on which to base our questions to
stakeholders, and as Pat already mentioned, often the management (or HR,
or union leader, etc.) will just say, "I want them to learn English,"
and not be able to go much farther than that.  
 
 Amber
 
 Amber Gallup      Director, Essential Language 
  (202) 234-4565 
  www.essentiallanguage.com 
   <mailto:agallup at essentiallanguage.com>
<mailto:agallup at essentiallanguage.com>    
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
  



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